A reply to the Open Letter to Anglicans

It seems that soon enough the already-existent split within the Anglican Communion will be formally declared. The ‘Open Letter to British Anglicans’ has called for a meeting in October. Let’s take it line by line.

Many will share our dismay at the recent decisions of the General Synod of the Church of England and the pursuing principles, values and practices contrary to Holy Scripture and church Tradition.

Many do, including God who grieves His rejection by those who claim to follow Him. This is the issue. Not this or that decision but the arrogant, prideful rejection of the Lordship of Jesus and the Kingship of His Father in His own Kingdom. Arrogant, prideful behaviour whose very precedent was set by Lucifer.

Given the persistent failure of the majority of the House of Bishops to fulfil the God-given duties which they have sworn to discharge these tragic developments were, sadly, not wholly unexpected.

This is not what was most painful but the corruption of the House Of Laity was and that corruption started in the House of Bishops. It started with apostasy and false teaching and has spread like a dry rot throughout the bones of the Church of England.

Accordingly, and in preparation for such eventualities we, as some of those committed to the renewal of biblical and orthodox Anglicanism have already started to meet, on behalf of our fellow Anglicans, to discuss how to ensure a faithful ecclesial future.

We now wish that we have done so to be more widely known.

Our number is drawn from bishops, clergy and laity, from across Great Britain and from a breadth of traditions. Much more importantly, however, we meet joyfully united by a shared endorsement of the terms of the Jerusalem Declaration.

All worthy sentiment but questions remain unanswered. Why are we the ones walking away? Why is this the case when it is Mr Welby and those who follow him who are excluded from the Kingdom of God by their own choices, by their rejection of His authority, is it not them that have to leave which is as God decrees it? What of the faithful that remain….are they to be left behind? GAFCON must answer these questions with recourse to Scripture.

It is true that the faithful must come out of the Church of England but they can do so by refusing Communion and in doing so rejecting the Church of England’s legal authority to operate as a Church of God. The Anglican Communion can furthermore expel the Church of England. The problem with organisational separation is that it does not answer the question nor does it abrogate the continued spiritual sickness in the part of the body of Christ that we leave. Finally, I will leave readers with this Scripture.

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16

Is that not our calling now? To carry the fight to the faithless and to drive them out? To be the salt and the light for those that remain trapped in this prison of the faithful? If it is not, let those who say it is not, prove it is not.